AFTER HARD RESET--Reinstalling Windows 7 and Microsoft Office using code on PC

[amandab33]

I had to do a hard reset of my  computer. When I tried to reinstall windows 7, the Windows sticker on my PC gives a code that is not working in order to re-install it. I used a code that I think might be counterfit, so I would like to use my code that was given to me on the sticker on my PC. Also, Microsoft Office that came on my computer is no longer present when the computer underwent a hard reset. How do I reinstall Microsoft Office that came with my computer? Thanks for your help. 

[WAWood]

amandab33

Hello;

Allow me to welcome you to the HP forums!

Sorry, but I don't have very good news for you ...

The "cracked" version of Windows you install can NOT be activated using the HP product key that came with your PC, because that requires the same HP OEM version of Windows that came preinstalled on your PC.

I don't know why the reset did not work, it SHOULD have.

At this point, your only recourse would be to use something known as HP Recovery Media to restore your PC.

HP Recovery Media is a set of DVDs and a CD, or USB stick, that will erase the hard drive (removing all data, settings, and applications, reinstall the original OS, drivers, and some HP Utilities. In some cases, you may be able to order a USB stick instead of disks. You have to order these from HP; they can not be downloaded.

You can look online for Recovery Media starting with the linked paged: http://support.hp.com/us-en/drivers

Once there, input your Product name or number. On your Software and Drivers Download page, select your Operating System and and Version. Click "Update". If HP Recovery Media is available for your machine, down near the bottom of the page, you will see an entry for Order Recovery Media-CD/DVD/USB. Click the "+" symbol to expand that entry and click on Order Media for details.

Or, if you prefer, you can do the same by contacting HP Customer Service:

If you live in the US or Canada, contact information is on this page: http://www8.hp.com/us/en/contact-hp/phone-assist.html#section1

If you live elsewhere, contact information is on this page: http://www8.hp.com/us/en/contact-hp/ww-contact-us.html

NOTE: After you get through, stay on the line until you are finally able to talk to some one -- it can take a while!

If you have trouble finding a phone number, then try: 1 (800) 474-6836

If HP no longer provides Recovery Media for your model, a couple of other sites you can check are: http://www.computersurgeons.com/ and http://www.restoredisks.com/

Good Luck

[mdklassen]

> How do I reinstall Microsoft Office that came with my computer?

As the Other Person implied, if you use the original HP software that you need to order from HP, it _might_ install a "trial" version of Microsoft Office. 

Did you make an online purchase to convert that "trial" software into a "full" version?

If you did, you would have received a 25-character product-key, which you used to "activate" your copy of Microsoft Office.

If you still have that product-key, you can enter that key onto Microsoft's web-site, and then download the version of Microsoft Office that matches your product-key.  Then, install from that download.

[amandab33]

Thank you WAWood. In response to your paragraph: "Once there, input your Product name or number. On your Software and Drivers Download page, select your Operating System and and Version. Click "Update". If HP Recovery Media is available for your machine, down near the bottom of the page, you will see an entry for Order Recovery Media-CD/DVD/USB. Click the "+" symbol to expand that entry and click on Order Media for details."

I found the operating system and version, but I found no option to "Update" the operating system, just an option to "change" it from Windows 7 Home Premium to a different version. How do I order the HP Recovery media that you talk about (CD or USB stick)?  

[mdklassen]

Clicking that "Update" button causes the web-page to "refresh", to display the available downloads for the specific Operating System that you have selected, by manipulating those "pull-down" menu choices.

That's all it does.

[WAWood]

If there is no Recovery Media listed on the page, you have to use the alternative links I provided in my post to see if either of those sites carry the media you need.

Good Luck

[amandab33]

But I don't see an "Update" button anywhere? 

[mdklassen]

> But I don't see an "Update" button anywhere? 

The Other Person misled you. 

You should see somethink like:

After using the "pull-down" menu items, click 'Change', instead of the non-existent 'Update'.

[amandab33]

It doesn't do anything when I click "change" it just gives the option of switching from Windows 7 Home Premium and I don't want to switch. 

The only way I found to download the restore kit is using the website:  http://www.computersurgeons.com/ But it will cost me $27 to download them.

At this point, can I simply download a copy of Windows 7 Home Premium and burn it to a CD and use my product key on my tower to validate it and be done? I have a version of Office I can use without purchasing a "restore kit." 

[mdklassen]

> It doesn't do anything when I click "change" it just gives the option of switching from Windows 7 Home Premium and I don't want to switch. 

Please do not "overthink" this.

The HP Support site can be accessed from a computer quite-different from the computer needing repair.

For example, if my computer, running Windows 7, were to access the web-site, the web-page would "detect" (as indicated in that image) that my computer is running Windows 7.  But, if I wanted to find & download software for a "broken" computer running Windows 10, I would have to use those "pull-down" menu items, to select Windows 10, and then click that 'Change' button, to express my intent to find updates for Windows 10, instead of the computer that I was using to access the web-site.  The web-page would refresh, and would show me the updates for Windows 10.

You might even access that web-page from an Apple computer, and download updates for Windows 7/8/10, because the web-site is accommodating to your needs.

>>> download a copy of Windows 7 Home Premium and burn it to a CD

The software probably is too large to fit on one CD-recordable disk (700 MB).

You probably need to burn it to a DVD-recordable (4700 MB).

If the product-key decal on your computer shows "Windows 7 Home Premium", then using the matching media, together with the 25-character product-key on that decal, should work.  You will need to access the HP web-site, to download the HP-specific device-drivers that are *NOT* included on that "generic" Windows 7 media, for the HP-specific hardware: Ethernet adapter, chipset, sound-card, video-card, et cetera.